Lionel Messi: Barcelona forward breaks Pele scoring record in win over Real Valladolid

Lionel Messi scored his 644th goal for Barcelona during his side's victory over Real Valladolid to break Pele's record of the most goals for one club.

Argentina forward Messi, 33, scored Barca's third when he collected Pedri's backheel, took a touch then slotted the ball past goalkeeper Jordi Masip.

Messi created the first goal when his cross was headed in by Clement Lenglet and started the move for the second, finished off by Martin Braithwaite.

Messi also hit the post in injury time.

Relive Barcelona's win over Real Valladolid as it happened

Brazil great Pele scored 643 goals in 19 seasons for Santos in his homeland between 1956 and 1974.

Messi, who scored his first goal for Barca in 2005 and has gone on to win 10 La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues, is out of contract at the end of the season and able to talk to other clubs from January.

In August, he said he wanted to exercise a clause in his deal which he said allowed him to leave on a free transfer, but Barcelona refused, saying his 700m euro (£624m) release clause had to be met.

Earlier this week, Messi said the incident caused him to have "a very bad time in the summer", although he was in superb form against Valladolid on Tuesday, inspiring a win that took Barcelona back up to fifth, eight points behind leaders Atletico Madrid.

Barca could have scored more goals but Masip made a number of fine saves and substitute Philippe Coutinho also hit the woodwork late on.

Marc-Andre Ter Stegen made two one-handed saves to deny Fabian Orellana and Kike Perez, preserving Barcelona's clean sheet.

Earlier on Tuesday, Atletico beat third-placed Real Sociedad 2-0 thanks to goals from Mario Hermoso and Marcos Llorente to go three points clear of Real Madrid, who play Granada at home on Wednesday (18:45 GMT).

Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text

Line-ups

Real Valladolid

1Masip
11Hervías
24FernándezBooked at 77mins
5Sánchez de FelipeSubstituted forGuardiola Navarroat 79'minutes
22Martínez García
40Neves FilipeSubstituted forOrellanaat 57'minutes
21Herrero JavaloyasSubstituted forMesaat 57'minutes
14Alcaraz
10PlanoSubstituted forPérezat 57'minutes
9Weissman
16de Sousa MendonçaSubstituted forVilla Suárezat 45'minutes

Substitutes

2Pérez
3García
6González
7Guardiola Navarro
8Pérez
12Orellana
13Jiménez
15El Yamiq
17Mesa
19Villa Suárez
20San Emeterio Díaz
23Rubio

Barcelona

1ter Stegen
28Mingueza
4AraujoSubstituted forUmtitiat 71'minutes
15Lenglet
2Dest
8Pjanic
21de JongBooked at 68minsSubstituted forBusquetsat 71'minutes
18AlbaBooked at 62minsSubstituted forFirpoat 71'minutes
10Messi
16GonzálezSubstituted forCoutinhoat 81'minutes
9Braithwaite

Substitutes

5Busquets
6Aleñá
7Griezmann
12Puig
13Murara Neto
14Coutinho
17Machado Trincão
23Umtiti
24Firpo
26Peña

Referee:: Mario Melero López

Match Stats

Home TeamReal ValladolidAway TeamBarcelona

Possession: Home39%; Away61%

Shots: Home12; Away21

Shots on Target: Home5; Away10

Corners: Home4; Away6

Fouls: Home12; Away10

Live Text

Post update
Match ends, Real Valladolid 0, Barcelona 3.
90'+4'
Full Time
Second Half ends, Real Valladolid 0, Barcelona 3.

90'+4'
Post update
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Jordi Masip.
90'+4'
Post update
Attempt saved. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Sergiño Dest.
90'+3'
Post update
Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
90'+3'
Post update
Foul by Roque Mesa (Real Valladolid).
90'+2'
Post update
Lionel Messi (Barcelona) hits the left post with a left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box. Assisted by Sergio Busquets.
90'+1'
Post update
Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
90'+1'
Post update
Foul by Roque Mesa (Real Valladolid).
90'+1'
Post update
Attempt missed. Martin Braithwaite (Barcelona) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Sergio Busquets.
90'
Post update
Philippe Coutinho (Barcelona) hits the left post with a right footed shot from outside the box. Assisted by Lionel Messi.
89'
Post update
Miralem Pjanic (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
89'
Post update
Foul by Kike Pérez (Real Valladolid).
88'
Post update
Attempt saved. Fabián Orellana (Real Valladolid) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Pablo Hervías.
88'
Post update
Attempt missed. Roque Mesa (Real Valladolid) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
86'
Post update
Corner, Real Valladolid. Conceded by Samuel Umtiti.
86'
Post update
Martin Braithwaite (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
86'
Post update
Foul by Roque Mesa (Real Valladolid).
85'
Post update
Foul by Clément Lenglet (Barcelona).
85'
Post update
Sergi Guardiola (Real Valladolid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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As It Stood

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Atl Madrid	13	10	2	1	26	5	21	32
2	Real Madrid	14	9	2	3	25	14	11	29
3	Real Sociedad	16	7	5	4	25	12	13	26
4	Villarreal	15	6	8	1	20	14	6	26

5	Barcelona	14	7	3	4	28	14	14	24
6	Sevilla	13	7	2	4	15	10	5	23
7	Granada	13	6	3	4	17	20	-3	21

8	Celta Vigo	14	5	4	5	19	20	-1	19
9	Ath Bilbao	15	5	3	7	18	18	0	18
10	Cádiz	14	5	3	6	11	19	-8	18
11	Getafe	13	4	4	5	11	14	-3	16
12	Real Betis	14	5	1	8	15	26	-11	16
13	Valencia	15	3	6	6	21	22	-1	15
14	Levante	14	3	6	5	16	18	-2	15
15	Eibar	14	3	6	5	10	13	-3	15
16	Elche	13	3	6	4	12	16	-4	15
17	Alavés	14	3	5	6	11	16	-5	14

18	Real Valladolid	15	3	5	7	15	24	-9	14
19	Osasuna	14	3	3	8	13	23	-10	12
20	Huesca	15	1	9	5	13	23	-10	12

Comments

Join the conversation

132 comments

Whether you think Messi or Ronaldo or someone else is the GOAT , let’s appreciate how great this achievement is. So lucky to witness this little genius on the ball and what an inspiration he is.
Ook the Librarian replied:
Agreed ... its like arguing which ice cream flavour is better ... all down to personal preference (The answer is raspberry ripple closely followed by rum & raisin)
A playmaker who scores more goals than strikers, and a strikers who gets more assists than playmakers, all rolled into one player. Remarkable
Was lucky enough to see him in the flesh at Wembley against Spurs in the CL as my old man couldn't go after he'd bought his ticket! Just different class. Little genius. So pointless arguing who is 'better' just enjoy the brilliance you numpties!
Can we also appreciate that has has by far and away the most assists in the history of football! Not just at 1 club, but ever!

He's a GOAT of goal scoring and a GOAT of play making rolled into one!! That is why in my opinion he is the bets player i've ever seen. But each to their own.
Dolly Fossit replied:
Yep, proof is in the pudding, I thought Pele was the best ever, but Messi has proved me wrong, and he's not finished yet, truly THE greatest EVER.
I'd have scored more than that for one club if it wasn't for my dickie knee, back back and dependence on alcohol
Joe King replied:
I know the feeling
Messi the best player of this era , by a long way
Sirrantsalot replied:
No way. Ronaldo has proved himself in different teams and countries. Messi was carried for half his career by iniesta and xavi, and has won nothing at international level.

They are both miles ahead of Pele who yes played on dodgy pitches and was hacked a lot but the general standard of play was worse back then and players not as fit.
Regardless of how you rate him, this is a monumental and truly historic achievement, which will likely never be broken in our lifetimes. I wasn't around when Pele set his record - appreciate that you're around when Messi broke it, he'll be talked about for generations.
the best the world has and ever will see, the master of the game
All he’s got to do now in win 3 World Cups and he will be equal with Pele
Carlton Palmer
KR replied:
Hang on a minute. Carlton Palmer??? Ahhh I see....Lionel Messi and Carlton Palmer are at different ends of the spectrum. Polar opposites, even. When I think of Carlton Palmer I think carthorse. Messi glides on grass in comparison.
Incredible achievement to have kept performing so well year in, year out for so long. He’s had a couple of seasons where he wasn’t at his best, but even then he was still better than most other players on the planet. You can’t name many other players who are so consistently brilliant. It does make you wonder if beating that record would now push him on to that much-discussed transfer next Summer.
Living Legend!
pengeaumont replied:
How have four people down rated this? Leo Messi isn't a legend?
Lucky he escaped prison to achieve this.
Lucky to see him play and score at Parkhead. Luckier still to be there when Celtic won 2-1!
Is he the best player ever? He has a very rare talent. Better than Maradona? Definitely, but not as unscrupulous. Pele? So hard to judge, but for me, present always beats past. Ronaldo? Magnificent player and athlete, but sorry no. I am biased by age and experience, but my favourite player ever was Johan Cruyff. Played his football at least 10 centimetres above the pitch. Rare talent.
John replied:
You're username doesn't tell me you're bias at all.
Messi is the best footballer ever !
As good as Pele, Maradona and Peter Beardsley were. Messi is the best.
Joe King replied:
Peter Beardsley 😆
Not bad achievement...
messi breaks a record??

ss, i think i posted this on wrong forum..altho i think i got it right x;)

its like who has 1st Turbojet Engine (Frank Whittle) - power to keep going

the E-Type (Malcolm Sayer) - to have that style & artistry

& then who has that Psycho (Alfred Hitchock) of worlds 1st slasher movie to CUT thru defences :)

all in all it is Ronaldo xx;)

& either way English score XooX;)
Pele scored over a thousand goals many lost to poor record keeping then.
The Reverend Joe replied:
Aye but that's every goal hes ever scored from his Santos unders 8s playing days upto his stint playing for the prisoner of war team in Escape to Victory..
The consistency is quite amazing.Every year he scores more than anyone, going back over a decade.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lionel_Messi#Club
The only guy who comes close is Gerd Muller.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerd_M%C3%BCller#Club

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Lionel Messi: Barcelona forward breaks Pele scoring record in win over Real Valladolid